Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-05-20
COMING ATTRACTION.
Jeffreys-Lewis Next Month in "ClO
thiIde,---Chicag0 Criticism.

the minds OF lovers OF the drama. lot
one Is sure of cleverness aud some unique
phrases OF life and character. Even the
least pretentions of the famous French>
mans Theatre creations are ingenious,
striking suggestive. though most of them
may sport with the inconsistent, and per
suade us to accept with emotional para
oxysms that which the judgment de-
clares to be wholly unreasonable There
was an expectant audience at the Grand
Opera house last hight. the temperance
OF Jetfreys- Lewis being iDticement en-
ough for those who learned to admire
her in former seasons, wish to gain fur>
I'll er acquaintance with Master Sardou be
ing strong supplementary lnducement
to patronage. Shortly after the curtain
ralsed-and there WAS wearisome delay
in that-they who had found delight in
the graceful, sinuous movements of 1.-THE,
trim and viyaCiOus La Belle Russo, were
somewhat disappointed TO find that the
Bohemian queen of passion, this subtle
but beauteOus. tigerish but fascinating in
terpreior of intense emotions in adven
turous character, has lost something of
tht t'tiitht f't' biNtlh
guished her; and considerably before the
curtain finally descended it was evident
that, adrolt and impressive though it he,
"Clothilde' is not NJ Sardou's master.
piece ,Ieffreys Lewis has become plump
To degree that makes the use of that
qualltier complimentary The play pre-
SCENTS some evidence of being an early
work of its talented author, written when
he was more subservient To the methodlr
rules OF dramatic construction and less
daringly original and inventive Though
the dialogue is bright. crisp, sometimes
witty, often pbllauthrupC, the dramatic
phraslng is rather commonplace aud
| quite arbitrary There is principle or
| theory illustrated, as usual SAriou
never failing to give vital purpose
| to bis plays, and IN ''Clothitde" we
are instructed how woman of naturally
good qualities of heart and mind might
behave in seeking to aveugc herself upon
the lover who first compromised, then
| turned from her, Clothilde is woman
of rank and wealth. young, but appar-
emily without family ties and suffering
no restraint She is betrotbed to the
| Marquis De Acres, handsome young
| Partisan, honorable and exemplary as the
| Paris world goes but nevertheless too
| literally the lover of Clothildc After
three years of happiness in this love of
the senses he sees a young girl at the
opera and the love of the soul, the heart S
first love fills him. This girl is Fernando,
| the daughter of woman who keeps n
notorious gambling establishment, fire.
quented by the dissipated of both sexes.
| Ignorant that Andre, the Marquis, is no
longer in love with her. Clothilde be
comes interested in Fernando, whom she
knows to to he worthy better fate than
that threatening her, and takes the young
girl into her protection, Learning that
Andre has deceived her in pretending to
be away from the city, when he WAS IN
reality seeking to find his unknown new
| love. Clothilde, when next they meet
affects no longer to love Andre, his ioy
over her declaration cruelty assuring her
| how well grounded We're her hcart>hurt>
| ing suspicious. Almost directly Andre
sees through the window the face of
| Fernando, ard confesses rapturously to
Clo,hilde that this is the girl he loves and
| so eagerly sought. After moment of
Nretcned struggle with her pride and
| longing, Clothilde resolves to find her ri.
venge in marrying Andre. proud, high
spirited, a creature of honor, to this girl,
soiled amid the gross designations OF
| llCentlous Paris She enters heartily
| into the scheme. and decciyes Fernando
| into the belief that Andre knows her
past and cOndones it, So great is his love
for her. The marriage takes place, and
| then Clothilde came TO reveal the
| truth to Andre and glnat over
his bitter humiliation This is ac-
| compllshed IN scene realty worthy of
| Sardou, and in one equally strong Fer
mamie is justified IN the ewes OF her has
band. her innocence being acknuwle dged
by the finally repentant Clothlldc TIN
story is empty enough in the telling. but
clever enough 10 the dramatic treatment
the several threads Of emotion being
clearly and strongly denied. and very
ingenious grouping aud Interviewing OF
characters in a sub plot gives additional
interest. Miss JetfreyS- Lewis plays the
principal part with force and intensity
that only lack the element of refinement
TO make her performance remarkable
Her emotional power is great. her inci>
dental treatment of the character in the
play between real assumed feeling is in
the highest degree admirable, and in all
the deeper moods of the creation her
work has likeiness that is, ma credit
able sense, realistic. Had she but the
graceful figure that constituted one of
her chief aids to success half a dozen
years ago. her ClOthllde might be esteem
ed one of the most admirable and arts
tc among her many theatrical triumphs.
As 1t is, her acting has SO much power
and dramatic precision that one can but
he impressed, and that deeply She had
full recognition in the enthusiastic ap-
plause of her audience Miss Lillian
Owen, an actress whom we do not re
member to have seen before. displayed
much grace and Intelligence with great
deal of dramatic expression in her acting
of Fernando. She quite realized the
character, playing it sweetly. modesty,
yet with proper spirit, winning the
Svmpathes of the audience with the girl
and securing its appreciation for herself
Mr. Mainhall gave a strong. manly, and
feeling performance of Andre One Of
The most commendable pieces of work
was the Pomerol of Mr. Ruinan. acting
as the good friend of Andre and general
mediator. Miss Robin Merry MS the
diminutive aud ever suspicious yonng
wife of Pomerol was quite amusing in
her way. Other characters were assumed
by Mr.. Long, Mr.. Marshall, Miss Walters
Miss Merser aud Mr. Cunningham
Advertised List of Letters. No. -.
I.ist of letters uncalled Tor al the Pos lotce At
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hur n